Some hotels have a way of instantly making guests feel welcome, as though they're setting foot in their own home and are welcome to settle in and make themselves comfortable. How is this inviting feeling achieved? It's in the design and the details. Zurich's Baur au Lac is one of those hotels that oozes elegance and displays an effortless sense of style. We checked in with the hotel's owner Marguita Kracht and Viviane Rey, wife of the general manager, Michel Rey, who worked with interior designer Frédéric d’Haufayt to create this hotel's inimitable style. Here they tell us what inspired the design of this international luxury hotel and what makes it such a special place to stay.



Q: How would you describe the look of the hotel bedrooms?
A: The style is timeless, sophisticated and contemporary with an eclectic twist. Exquisite art deco artifacts in the style of Jean-Michel Frank and Jansen skillfully contrast with French period furniture and modern elements using only the highest quality materials, such as luxurious silks, palisandre and macassar wood and Italian and French marble.

Q: What was the design inspiration for these rooms? How do the designs differ from room to room?
A: The inspiration was mainly to create a sophisticated, international but at the same time intimate atmosphere, making guests feel at home in the most comfortable and aesthetically luxurious surroundings. All rooms and bathrooms differ in size and shape calling for a special design adapted to each case and accentuated by the use of a great variety of fabrics, carpets, furniture and marbles while at the same time reflecting Frédéric d’Haufayt’s unmistakeable exquisite style throughout.
Q: What makes these rooms special?
A: The originality of the design is an exceptional aspect of these rooms.  No detail was overlooked, and most of the decor and furniture was custom-designed for the Baur au Lac, making each room quite unique. The rooms also have a sense of "home" which can be felt the moment one walks through the door. Plush furniture and warm colour tones make the environment relaxing and inviting, rather than an impersonal hotel room.

Q: The rooms are obviously very luxurious; what elements in particular create that sense of luxury?
A: All furniture and carpets were specially created for the Baur au Lac by Frédéric d'Haufayt and manufactured by the world's best workshops in France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the United States. Luxurious fabrics from Thailand, Italy, France and the U.S. were elaborately processed to produce voluminous curtains. The floors are parqueted and covered with custom-made deluxe carpets.  The bathrooms are lined entirely in marble and warmed by under-floor heating, designed to satisfy even the most elaborate expectations in terms of design, comfort and technology.

Q: What colour palettes were used throughout and how do they contribute to the mood and atmosphere?
A: Warm and neutral tones of beige and golden brown are offset by bold reds and teals, with accents of gold throughout. 

Q: Is there anything about the location (Zurich) that’s reflected in the rooms? Or anything truly Swiss?
A: Apart from the view of Lake Zurich and the Alps or the chocolate amenities (!!) there are no typically Swiss features to be found in the design of the rooms. However, the exceptionally high standard of workmanship and finish and the perfect functioning of technical facilities clearly reflect the legendary Swiss quality at its very best.

Q: What is the overall feeling of the rooms and how was this achieved?
A: While offering the ultimate in terms of comfort and technology, each room is warm, intimate and inviting, and is more like a private apartment than an impersonal hotel room.

Q: What amenities do the rooms include?
A: All suites have iPod docking stations and Bose sound systems, as well as flat screen television, complimentary wireless Internet and complimentary mini-bars.